RESOLUTIONS! Starting the new year

When I was younger, I used to really look forward to the start of the year. I just liked the feel of it ; from 31st night’s prayers and inspiring sermon, through to the cold midnight and then to the first day of the new year. Most of all, I loved the fact that I had a fresh year to start a ‘new’ and better life. I enjoyed writing down a long list of resolutions – a list for the ‘new year, better me’ project. My implementation process only lasted as long as the euphoria of the new year.

This is the story of so many others. New year resolutions are exciting to come up with. Unfortunately the motivation that seems to spur you on at the start does not stay for too long. Soon you start to postpone activities you planned to undertake. By February, you’ve forgotten completely you had resolutions! Then the year ends and by the next year, you either really believe that in the coming year, you’ll most definitely achieve all your new year goals or you don’t come up with resolutions at all because, it never seems to work and who believes in this new year new me any longer?

The truth is you do not need a new year to set goals. You do not need a new year to change. You do not need a new year to take action. If you realize there is something you need to change, make that change immediately. The fact that a lot of resolutions fail does not mean you don’t need to plan and prepare for the year. Brian Tracy in his book 21 Success Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires says that “Success is predictable“. Every successful person did not succeed by chance. Success requires preparation. A fresh year affords the opportunity to set your annual goals in line with your long term goals. (Read my post on Goals! How to achieve more than you currently are) In a fresh year, it’s easier to set timelines in order to track your progress. In today’s post, I will be sharing a few thoughts on how to set and accomplish your new year goals.

You can’t set your new year goals in a vacuum. You must already have your long term goals in place. That’ll be the perfect foundation for your new year goals. Next, set goals for the various aspects of your life: Spiritual, Business & Career, Financial, Family & Relationship, Health & Fitness, etc. Think of what you can do within the year in the various aspects of your life that’ll help you reach your ultimate goals. Those will be your short term goals. If you want to own a multi-national company in the long-term and you haven’t yet started a business, your goal for the year could be to actually start and probably have a set number of customers by the end of the year. The next step will be to write down your action plan. What is the step by step approach you’ll take to achieve your goal? If you have no idea, read books, speak to people; just find out the way to get to your destination and write it all down. Speak to someone you can trust about your plans so you are accountable to the person. Get someone who is interested in your progress enough to check from time to time how far you’ve gotten with your plans. Discipline yourself enough to stick to your timeline and do what you have to do whether you feel like it or not. Visit your goals and plans every now and then to make sure you are on track. Adjust your plans as and when there’s the need. Reward yourself every once and a while when you see yourself making progress.

Be sure to set realistic goals. Be convinced that your goals are for your good or there’ll be no motivation to achieve them. Don’t set any goal without a plan of action. Set goals within your capacity. For example, if you don’t work out at all, don’t set a goal to work out every single day. Start small. Start with what is within your capacity and build up little by little. Don’t have too many different goals, you’ll only get discouraged and end up doing nothing. Have a few broad goals and action plans and concentrate on achieving them. Lastly, partner with the HolySpirit. A lot of the resolutions that have to do with character only require His inward working to enable you change on the outside. Pray consistently about your goals and you’ll have great success in achieving them. May the coming year be the best you’ve ever had!!

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. – Proverbs 16:3